Preparing for Medicine
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Maximise your chances of getting into medical school.
Preparing for Medicine is a series of activities that guide you through the process of applying for medical school. Starting in the Spring term of Year 12/Level 3 Year 1, you'll get access to mentoring, UCAT support, mock interviews, and a work experience placement to boost your skills and strengthen your application. Activities will be delivered by clinicians, medical students, and lecturers from UEA's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, giving you lots of useful insights into studying and working in medicine.
The best part? It's all completely free.
Who is it for?
Preparing For Medicine is designed for students who are statistically less likely to be offered a place at medical school. Applications are open to Year 12 or Level 3 Year 1 students attending a state school or college in England. Additional eligibility criteria apply.
For the complete eligibility criteria, see the FAQ section at the bottom of this page.
What will I get?
The programme starts in the Spring term of Year 12/Level 3 Year 1 and continues until you get your Level 3 results (e.g. A Levels, BTEC, T Levels). Throughout that time, you'll have 1-2-1 online mentoring from a current medical student and attend exclusive events at UEA, including:
Welcome to Preparing for Medicine. A chance to meet your mentor and other Preparing for Medicine participants.
Four-day summer residential with clinical skills and academic sessions, as well as interview advice and UCAT support to help you prepare for the admissions test
Two days of work experience in the NHS, either at a GP surgery or virtually
Application and interview support session to wrap up your preparations
Up to 18 months of mentoring with a current medical student.
Monthly messages from Norwich Medical School with useful advice and guidance
Finally, if you engage with all aspects of Preparing for Medicine and you meet the course entry requirements, you will have a guaranteed interview to study medicine at UEA. This applies to MBBS Medicine (A100) and MBBS Medicine with a Gateway Year (A104) courses.
Please review our entry requirements, including the minimum GCSE requirements, using the links below:
How do I apply?
We deliver Preparing for Medicine in partnership with the Medical Schools Council. To apply, you'll need to complete a sign-up form on the Medical Schools Council website.
Applications will open on Monday 1 February 2027 and close on Friday 26 February 2027.
Do I need to be studying Science A Levels?
Not necessarily! Many medical schools, including Norwich Medical School at UEA, accept qualifications other than A Levels. make sure you research any medical schools you are considering to check whether they accept your qualifications. If you aren't eligible for a standard MBBS Medicine course, you may be able to apply for MBBS Medicine with a Gateway Year.
For example, our Medicine With a Gateway Year course accepts students with:
Non-Science A Levels
BTEC
T Levels
A combination of BTEC and A Levels
Hear from Preparing for Medicine participants
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Preparing for Medicine myth-busted the entire application process - making it clear, understandable and, more importantly for me, achievable. The Preparing for Medicine team helped me develop the essential skills and confidence to go on and apply for medicine. In fact, it equipped me so well that I gained a place at all four medical schools I applied to.
Laura
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After completing Preparing for Medicine, both Laura and Imogen went on to study medicine at UEA.
Read more about Laura's and Imogen's experiences of Preparing for Medicine.
Where could medicine take you?
The medical profession is as varied as it is rewarding. Here are some examples of the different careers you could explore with a medical degree:
Surgeon
Researcher
Clinical Radiologist
Psychiatrist
Sports club doctor
Lecturer
Military doctor
Anaesthetist
Consultant
Neurologist
To explore more careers in Medicine, visit the NHS website.
FAQs
Applying for Medical School: step-by-step guide
We know the process of applying for medical school can seem complicated. We've created a step-by-step guide, designed for young people at the start of their medicine journey.
We'll break down each step of the application process and explain what you need to do and when. The guide also includes a helpful jargon buster to clarify any unfamiliar terms.
Read the step-by-step guide